In semi-arid areas, such as the Northeast Region of Brazil (NRB), droughts lead to reduction of reservoir volumes and to increase of nutrient concentrations. The goal was to evaluate the trophic state index (TSI) of semi-arid reservoirs due to interannual variations of precipitation and stored volume. The study included 65 reservoirs in 8 NRB-based watersheds for 2008–2017. From 2013, NRB faced a severe

Analysis of wolves dietary is a currently important theme because of the discussion about wolves preying on livestock as sheep or goats. We developed molecular markers to especially amplify the DNA of the prey out of wolf scat. For this purpose, we used the mitochondrial D-Loop using public available sequences for wolf and seven potential prey species (even-toed ungulates). We developed special primers

After suffering a massive decline (~ 99%) in numbers caused by feeding on livestock carcasses containing the nephrotoxic drug diclofenac, critically endangered Gyps vultures now persist in low numbers in the Indian subcontinent. Most are concentrated near National Parks, likely due to availability of wild carcasses free from toxic veterinary drugs. Quantification of vulture diets is critical to test

The Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu; SMB) is a widely distributed black bass species, but the southwestern edge of the species range within the Interior Highlands contains some of the most divergent ecotypes. The Neosho subspecies (M. d. velox) inhabits tributaries of the Arkansas River within the Ozark Mountains and a second lineage is reported from drainages of the Ouachita Mountains. We sought

Land degradation is a universal environmental problem around the world, which affects 1.5 billion people's well-being. Therefore, the efforts to monitor where land degradation has happened and to find out the causes are meaningful for land management and restoration. Arid regions such as Southern Africa have attracted many concerns on land degradation assessment. However, previous studies have neglected

Considering that some bioactive compounds are more soluble in ethanol than in water, we tried to evaluate the bioactivity of the ethanolic extracts of Alibertia edulis, Alibertia intermedia and Alibertia sessilis leaves at concentrations of 1 and 3% on the biological characteristics of parental and F1 generations of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Thus, the ethanolic

We describe the development and testing of qPCR assays to detect four species of amphibians and reptiles of conservation concern in the South Central United States through environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. The target species include the Ringed Salamander (Ambystoma annulatum), Three-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma tridactylum), Crawfish Frog (Rana areolata), and Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia). A

The matching of breeding with the food peak is one of the most important factors affecting the reproductive success in birds. Weather is known to affect the timing of breeding of many bird species. In arid lands, rainfall is usually the factor that triggers the onset of reproduction, since it commonly anticipates the peak of food through its influence on the vegetation development. In this study we

In the Australian semi-arid–arid zone, hydrological records are typically only 40–60 years long, prohibiting an understanding of long-term hydrological variability. Kati-Thanda – Lake Eyre Basin (KT-LEB), is the fifth largest terminal lake in the world, experiences highly variable flows and supports myriad flora and fauna. The opportunistic and highly irregular growth of trees in KT-LEB means that

Soil microorganisms communities regulate key functions in terrestrial ecosystems and contributes to the formation of stable organic matter and hence climate change mitigation. The structure, diversity and activity of soil microbial communities are influenced by the quantity and quality of organic compounds entering soils through the contribution of their root exudates and plant litter, which the microorganisms

Climate change is predicted to decrease the availability of water in deserts, potentially increasing competition for water. We wanted to determine if competition between top carnivores in deserts of western North America (i.e., coyote (Canis latrans) and bobcat (Lynx rufus)) was influenced by water availability. Evidence suggests that coyotes and bobcats do not compete for water in the Chihuahuan Desert

Somalia is one of the most drought prone countries both in Africa and globally. Drought events usually develop gradually unnoticed, causing tremendous effects on both agriculture and environment. This study evaluated the spatio-temporal variations of drought occurrences in Somalia for the period between 1980 and 2015 as quantified by Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). The intensities

Biotic invasions can interact with ongoing landscape transitions in introduced ranges, acting synergistically to accelerate landscape change. The African oryx (Oryx gazella), a large ungulate native to the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa, was intentionally released into the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico to provide increased hunting opportunities. Oryx have subsequently dispersed widely

Although sex assignment is essential to study biology and ecology of an animal, in Xenarthra there is still no standardized assay for genetic sex identification. Here, we evaluate the potential of two nuclear fragments [Zinc finger (~ 400 bp) and Sex-determination region Y (~ 180 bp) genes] for sex identification of seven Xenarthra species. First, we amplified and sequenced both homologous segments

We determined the consumption of fruits and estimated potential seed dispersal of a canid community in semi-arid ecosystems of South Africa by comparing diets, defecation sites, densities and potential seed shadows of cape foxes (Vulpes chama), bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) and black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) on Benfontein and Rooipoort nature reserves. On Benfontein, all canid species

Mogan and Eymir lakes are shallow wetlands which are potentially susceptible to global warming. Previous geological studies demonstrated several complete desiccation and shrinkage events in Lake Mogan since the 1800s. Archival records show at least three desiccation events in 1910, 1934 and 1938, and many severe shrinkages later. Here, the significance of climatic and anthropogenic drivers is still

Tortoise ecology is poorly studied in East Africa. Here, using two terrestrial Testudinidae (Stigmochelys pardalis and Kinixys belliana) as study models, we (i) present basic demographic characteristics (sex-ratio, and density), (ii) describe correlates of their presence at two spatial scales (micro-habitat and macro-habitat), (iii) evaluate the effects of rainfall on their seasonal activity patterns

Deficiencies in water and nitrogen (N) can lead to poor crop growth and production. This study was carried out during 2012–2014 to determine (1) the effect of drip irrigation regimes and N fertilizer rates on root length density (RLD) of corn (Zea mays L. cv. Single cross 704) and soil moisture dynamics and (2) the relationship between root development and water availability. The experiment was arranged

The shovel-snouted sand lizard, Meroles anchietae, is a small lacertid that inhabits the aeolian sand dunes of the Namib Desert. We conducted focal observations to characterize the movement patterns of adult male, adult female, and juvenile M. anchietae in their preferred habitat: dune slip faces. Movement varied considerably among demographic classes. Both adult males and females made longer moves

Increasing urbanisation and human pressure on lands have huge impacts on biodiversity. Some species, known as “urban exploiters”, manage to expand in urban landscapes, relying on human resources. The House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is the perfect example of a human-commensal species. Surprisingly, this urban exploiter has been declining all over Europe over the past decades. The proximate causes

Freshwater ecosystems are under threat from habitat loss, partly due to urban expansion. However, some elements of urban freshwaters are already integral parts of the urban landscape and so are more resilient to loss, representing opportunities for the enhancement of freshwater resources within cities. This study investigated the biodiversity value of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Leeds, UK, in relation

Salinization of the agricultural soil, caused by natural factors or human activities, is one of the greatest challenges facing food production in the current time, as it negatively affects soil construction along with growth and yield of crops. In this study, an experiment was conducted on mallow plants (Corchorus olitorius L.) growing in pots to determine the effect of Na2SO4 stress on growth, physio-biochemical

Tropical soils are mostly poor in phosphorus and sometimes in nitrogen and potassium. Arbuscular mycorrhizae increase the efficiency of chemical fertilizers applied to crops, and this work is part of this framework. NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) was applied at 100 kg per ha and 200 kg per ha alone or in combination with inoculum from sorghum or leek in soil (pH 4.28). The trial was conducted

The genus Microgecko Nikolsky 1907 belongs to the family Gekkonidae and contains eight species distributed in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, northwestern India and, probably, in Iraq. Among them, the Latifi's dwarf gecko, Microgecko latifi, is endemic to central and southwestern Iran. We used MaxEnt modeling approach to investigate the effects of climate change and potential distribution of M. latifi

Studies on the contribution of the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis and of other vertebrates to the diet of the tawny owl Strix aluco were carried out in Warsaw (central Poland) in the years 1983–2018. The frequency of the yellow-necked mouse in owl pellets increased at the break of the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly in some woodlands in the peri-urban area of the agglomeration. In the

A low-cost restoration action in patchy drylands worldwide is the installation of obstructions (hereafter, resource sinks) to break runoff pathways and retain resources. Field-works have studied how the effectiveness of this action depends on the materials installed. However, the influence and effectiveness of the cover and spatial organization of resource sinks have not been widely investigated. In

The burrows of the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) increase microhabitat heterogeneity and provide breeding sites and refuge for several vertebrate species on China's Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Despite their important role in the ecosystem, pikas are poisoned in China and have been extirpated in some areas. The Qinghai toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus vlangalii) has been referred to as strongly dependent

Degradation by wind erosion is detrimental to both soil and land quality in arid regions. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of some organic amendment - poultry manure (PM), farmyard manure (FYM) and rice husk (RH) and were applied on the sandy soil surface at 1 and 3 cm thickness and control (no treatment; C) to make clear the sand particles stabilization. Total soil nitrogen

‘Wildlife-friendly’ gardening is a dominant theme in the media that readily engages public attention. However, there is little empirical evidence of the ecological benefits of increased habitat quality of individual domestic gardens. This study uses light-trapping to examine the response of moth assemblages to domestic gardens that are assessed in terms of their habitat complexity (simple and complex)

Increasing pace of urbanization is the leading cause of decline in natural areas and associated biodiversity in developing countries. Bird richness is considered as a key indicator of urban environment quality. We investigated the relationship between satellite image derived landscape variables and field surveyed bird counts to predict bird richness in a rapidly urbanizing city in Western Himalayan

Crude plant extracts have been used as insecticides from ancient times. Keeping in view the environmental issues related to the excessive use of insecticides, plant derived products have been intensively investigated for their insecticidal potential. Alpinia galanga, a medicinal plant belonging to family Zingiberaceae exhibits a wide range of biologicial activities. Thus, the present study aims to

The Cattle Egret is considered an important auxiliary in agro-ecosystems, known by its dietary plasticity and habitat versatility. In this context, the present study focuses on the temporal variation of Bubulcus ibis preys, through the analysis of excrements of a colony located in the city of Chlef, in Northwest Algeria. To this aim, 10 randomly collected fecal pellets were analyzed each month over

The scarce information about soil carbon (C) storage in water-stressed ecosystems limits our understanding on soil contribution to the C cycle in arid zones. This study, performed in arid NW México: (i) estimated soil capacity to store organic C (SOC) and inorganic C (SIC) linked to topography; (ii) determined the spatial distribution of regional SOC stocks; and (iii) analysed if different land-uses

The original version of this article unfortunately contained errors.

Land-use change has been the strongest driver of vegetation cover change in the world. In the South American Dry Chaco (~1 M km2; PPT/ET0 < 0.65), native dry forests are experiencing high deforestation rates that tend to continue in the coming years. Here, we used a hydrological model (Hydrus 1-D) to analyze changes in the water balance triggered by the replacement of dry forests by annual rainfed

Regional climate change affects natural processes, including the amount of precipitation and the spatiotemporal differentiation of areal precipitation. The study of such changes is especially important for the Crimea due to the aridity and the lack of water resources therein. In this study, we carried out regression modelling of the areal precipitation in the Crimea using data from 24 weather stations

Setting up a survey may be very complex, especially when no previous data are available on the population of interest. Survey results must be non debatable (i.e. whose results are not open to question and cannot be interpreted in different ways) and precise enough to allow to answer the initial research question. A probabilistic sampling design with sufficient samples for acceptable precision and robust

Global increases in urbanization requires us to better understand how species are adapting to novel ecosystems in urbanized environments. We conducted a multi-year study to compare how five bird species with different life history strategies responded to local- and landscape-scale factors within forests in an urbanizing landscape. We modeled the responses of species to factors that have been shown

Water quality and quantity within the upper San Antonio River (Bexar County, Texas) were supported historically from spring flows of the Edwards Aquifer. Since the 1700s, water quality, quantity, physical aquatic habitats, and presumably fish communities have been altered in the upper San Antonio River, including loss of spring flow and replacement of base flow by treated wastewater. The upper San

Topsoil erosion is a widespread and major threat to terrestrial ecosystems that leads to environmental deterioration. Monitoring soil erosion dynamics and understanding the driving mechanisms are of great significance for optimizing ecological restoration programs and combating land degradation. We apply a widely used soil erosion assessment model to quantify the changes in soil erosion on the Loess

Deserts, despite being extreme environments, contain multiple habitats of different productivity and vegetation structure, affecting the abundance and diversity of desert arthropods. Predatory arthropods may be exceptionally diverse where scattered vegetation provides micro-habitats, concentrations of prey, and protection from predation risk. We examined the effect of habitat differences and local

Woody species play a key role in Stipa tenacissima steppes, they affect ecosystem functioning, facilitate establishment of other plants and increase plant richness. Among the mechanisms involved in facilitation, effect of litter on seed germination and seedling establishment is largely underexplored. We studied the properties of the litter layer under five woody species common in Stipa tenacissima

The dune sequences of Fuerteventura mainly consist of biogenic carbonate sands which originate from the shallow marine shelf. By onshore winds those carbonate sands migrate landwards, building up sequences of different dune generations with intercalated reddish silty layers. Former studies discussed the formation of dune generations on Fuerteventura against climatic shifts, sea level changes or changing

This commentary responds to “Cues to Care: future directions for ecological landscapes” (Hostetler 2020), which states that “research on cues to care has been sparse”. In a series of papers between 1988-1997, I introduced Cues to Care (CTC) and developed related theories about how CTC function to introduce and sustain environmentally beneficial landscape elements in human-dominated landscapes, and

The measurement of non-rainfall atmospheric water input (NRWI) in arid environments requires instruments that are capable to detect even smallest amounts of total daily water input of less than 0.1 mm. Microlysimeters yield robust and high precision data of such low NRWI. We provide a technical description of a self-constructed microlysimeter and demonstrate its excellent performance regarding the

The Monte Desert is the most arid rangeland in Argentina. Its northern portion, the High Monte ecoregion, is a geomorphologically complex area, characterized by mountain and bolsons landforms. Yet, most studies about plant diversity in the area have disregarded the altitudinal gradient. We examined the patterns of species richness, composition, and diversity along an altitudinal gradient in the Sierra

Gender-sensitive climate change adaptation strategies can improve gender equality and women's development in agrarian communities. This study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and household surveys) to explore the perspectives of men and women on climate change, including climate change impacts on their farming activities and

Identification of factors that determine the behavior and diversity of species is crucial to our understanding of the ecology of species and communities. Satellite remote sensing (SRS) provides information relevant to the study of biodiversity and associated environmental traits at multiple spatial and temporal resolutions. Pond-breeding amphibians allow for comparative ecological analysis regarding

Although urban gardens are often celebrated for supporting bee abundance and diversity within cities, little is known about how garden management and urbanization levels influence bee foraging behavior and ability to utilize resources within these landscapes. Specifically, the preferences and diet breadth of bees may depend critically on local and landscape conditions in human-managed, urban environments

This study aims at developing specific allometric biomass equations that can be integrated into a remote sensing (RS) based model for assessing carbon sequestered in date palms. Assessing the potential of date palms to improve soil carbon sequestration was another objective. In a previous study, the authors demonstrated that combinations of visible and short wave single bands (Red, SWIR1, SWIR2) besides

Qatar is one of the few countries where there is no permanent natural surface freshwater source, and yet toads are known to occur, recently identified as the African common toad, Sclerophrys regularis. However, little information is available concerning the geographical distribution of toads in Qatar, as well as how they have expanded their distribution. We conducted the first-ever nationwide field

A crop modeling approach can be used to assess various crop management options and water productivity to improve crop production for different environments. The goal of this study was to determine optimum planting dates and nitrogen management options using a systems analysis approach based on the Cropping System Model (CSM) CERES-Wheat of DSSAT v 4.6. Wheat experiments were conducted from 2007 to

Large-scale afforestation is a common measure to control desertification and soil erosion, especially in China. However, the massive afforestation may consume excessive water resources and cause the severe water shortage in the arid and semiarid regions. To understand the water consumption characteristics of afforestation, this study identifies the afforestation area and chooses the Water Footprint

Zygophyllum fabago is a species within the arid-adapted family Zygophyllaceae. The species is characterized by the co-occurrence of dichogamy and herkogamy. In order to understand the effect of these two complementary anti-selfing mechanisms in reproductive success, we conducted a detailed study of floral biology in Z. fabago. Our results indicated an incomplete separation of the female and male phases

Bird demography in the semi-arid tropics is poorly understood and potentially distinct from that in the humid tropics. In dry environments, rainfall dynamics lead to temporal concentration of food resources and to animals' responses to these resources, which together influence survival. Using six years of sampling from a dry forest in Brazil, we describe the temporal relationship among rainfall, breeding

The warming climate of recent decades has led to further aridity of the Mongolian landscape and has had major effects on forest growth and wildfire occurrence. Here, we investigated drought and wildfire effects on the growth of Pinus sylvestris along an ecologically diverse transect in semiarid north-central Mongolia using two separate subsets. Tree-ring width series of the first subset, represented

Livestock is one of the major sources of livelihood for the agro-pastoral communities in central and south Asia. Livestock depredation by large carnivores is a wide-ranging issue that leads to economic losses and a deviance from co-existence. We investigated the grass root factors causing livestock depredation in Kargil, Ladakh and tested the findings of diet analysis in validating reported livestock